Air distribution system

ABSTRACT

An air distribution system for providing treated air to an enclosure wherein the ceiling of the enclosure defines the lower surface of a plenum. Each of the enclosures served by the system has a heat exchanger disposed in an inlet to the plenum. High velocity primary air is discharged from a suitable duct to draw treated ambient or secondary air from the plenum. Secondary air from the enclosure flows into the plenum by passing in heat transfer relation with the heat exchange medium flowing through the heat exchange coil. A damper operates to regulate the quantity of secondary air drawn from the plenum.

United States Patent 1 Church 1111 3,744,556 1451 July 10, 1973 AIRDISTRIBUTION SYSTEM [75] Inventor: Richard A. Church, North Syracuse,

52 US. Cl. 165/57, 98/38 E, 98/40 D,

137/5135, 165/57, 165/96, 165/123 51 1111.01 F241 3/06 58 Field ofSearch 165/16, 123, 53,

165/57, 59, 96; 98/38 E, 38 R, 38 E1, 40 D, 40 DL; 236/13; 251/117;137/513.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,032,323 5/1962 Church98/38 E X 3,390,720 7/1968 Mechler 236/13 X 3,213,928 10/1965 Andersonet a1. 165/123 X 2,345,536 3/1944 Keep 98/38 E X 3,217,788 11/1965 Adam236/13 X 3,470,945 10/1969 Schmidt 165/123 X 1,320,298 10/1919 Walborm137/5135 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,347,152 11/1963 France98/40 D Primary ExaminerAlbert W. Davis, Jr. Attorney-1-1arry G. Martin,Jr. and J. Raymond Curtin [5 7 ABSTRACT An air distribution system forproviding treated air to an enclosure wherein the ceiling of theenclosure defines the lower surface of a plenum. Each of the enclosuresserved by the system has a heat exchanger disposed in an inlet to theplenum. High velocity primary air is discharged from a suitable duct todraw treated ambient or secondary air from the plenum. Secondary airfrom the enclosure flows into the plenum by passing in heat transferrelation with the heat exchange medium flowing through the heat exchangecoil. A damper operates to regulate the quantity of secondary air drawnfrom the plenum.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates primarily to an air distribution systemfor use where it is desired to provide treated air for a plurality ofenclosures, such as apartment buildings and offices in commercialbuildings. More particularly, this invention relates to such systemswherein the occupant of each enclosure may regulate the quantity oftreated air discharged into his particular enclosure in accordance withhis own personal desires.

There are many air distribution systems that may be installed tosimultaneously provide treated air for a plurality of enclosures orrooms located in a common structure. Many of such systems do not permitthe individual occupant of a separate room to regulate the quantity oftreatedair discharged to obtain desired air temperatures.

Those systems that do permit such individual control are very oftencostly to install and expensive to maintain. Very often the controls andother components are in remote locations or are otherwise located tomake repair or servicing thereof quite difficult and expensive.

The object of this invention is a novel air distribution system that maybe individually regulated, yet is relatively inexpensive to install andto maintain operable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an air distributionsystem for simultaneously providing treated air to a plurality ofenclosures in a common structure.

The system includes a plenum, the lower surface thereof being defined bythe ceiling of the enclosure. In a preferred embodiment, each enclosureserved by the system includes a heat exchange coil disposed in at leastone opening serving as an entrance into the plenum. Either a relativelywarm heat exchange medium for heating the enclosure or a relativelycoldheat exchange medium for cooling the enclosure is circulated through theheat exchange coil. Regulation of the temperature of the heat exchangemedium will preferably occur in a central station or other remotelocation.

High velocity primary air is discharged from a suitable supply ductthrough one or more nozzles, the primary air having been previouslytreated at a remote location to obtain desired psychometric conditionstherefor. The discharge of the high velocity primary air creates a lowpressure area, whereby treated secondary or ambient air from the plenumis discharged intothe enclosure through an appropriate opening.Secondary air from the room flows into the plenum through the heatexchange coil and is treated thereby.

Movable damper means, having means associated therewith that provide forregulation by the individual occupants of each enclosure, may bemodulated to vary the quantity of treated secondary air discharged fromthe plenum. Thus, each occupant may obtain temperature conditions ineach of the enclosures that are suitable to his particular preference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of apreferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a second sectional view of the embodiment I of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the figures of thedrawing, there is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Reference numeral 10 represents one room or enclosure in a structurehaving a plurality of separate rooms. Enclosure 10 includes structuralslab l1 functioning as the ceiling of the room. Ceiling lll defines thelower surface of a secondary air plenum 12. The upper surface of suchplenum is defined by structural slab 13,

which functionsas the floor for the room or enclosure directly above.

A heat exchange coil 14 is disposed in opening 15 of ceiling 11. Opening15 serves as an entrance for flow of ambient or secondary air intoplenum 12. Heat exchange coil 14 includes supply conduit 16 and returnconduit 17. Either a relatively cold heat exchange medium or arelatively warm heat exchange medium, such as water, is supplied to coil14 via conduit 16 from a central machinery plant or other remotelocation (not shown). The temperature of the heat exchange medium isregulated to a predetermined level at such central station prior to itsdelivery to coil 14. After passing through the coil, the medium isreturned for retreating via conduit 17.

Disposed in the plenum is primary air supply duct 18. Duct 18 provides acontinuous supply of high velocity primary air simultaneously to aplurality of the enclo sures in the structure. Duct member 18' functionsas the male member for interconnecting the adjacent duct portions. Highvelocity primary air is delivered from a central source (not shown)wherein the psychometric properties of the air is regulated to apredetermined level.

As is particularly shown in FIG. 2, passages 19 communicate primary airsupply duct 18 with primary air plenum 20. Suitable discharge members,such as nozzles 21, are provided to discharge the high velocity primaryair from plenum 20 into the enclosure through outlet 22. Outlet 22 isdefined by easing member 23, which is connected to the primary airsupply duct by suitable means, such as by welding, and by dischargegrille 24.

Air duct 18 and outlet 22 are suitably lined with ap propriate soundabsorbing material, as would be obvious to one skilled in the art.

The discharge of high velocity primary air from nozzles 21 creates arelatively low pressure area at outlet 22. Treated secondary or ambientair is drawn from the plenum l2by the creation of such low pressurearea. The induction of treated air from the plenum causes ambient air toflow thereinto; the ambient air is treated as desired by passing in heattransfer relation with the heat exchange medium flowing through coil 14.The treated air is induced from the plenum through passage 27 via thedischarge of the high velocity primary air.

To obtain suitable temperature control as is desired, there is providedan appropriate damper mechanism, such as damper 28, to regulate thequantity of secondary air discharged from the plenum. As shown, suchdamper mechanism includes a first member 29 and a second member 30connected together to pivot about point 31. Member 29 has a suitablestop attached thereto for a reason to be more fully explainedhereinafter. Temperature sensing element 36 is positioned in passage 34'of grille 34 to sense the temperature of the ambient air. Preferablyelement 36 is a bleed-type thermostat of a type familiar to thoseskilled in the art.

The position of damper 28 may be controlled by operation of inflatablebladder 26 in a manner that is well known to those skilled in the art.The operation of bladder 26 is regulated in response to element 36.Element 36 and bladder 26 are connected in parallel and are suppliedwith primary air via lines 40 and 41. Line 40 includes orifice 42. Asshown, damper 28 is rotatable in an arc of approximately 30. Othersuitable devices may be employed in lieu of bladder 26 to regulate theposition of the damper.

When damper 28 is in its dotted line position 29', a maximum quantity oftreated air is discharged from plenum 12. It should be noted thatpassage 34' is not closed by damper 28 at such time, thus allowingambient air to pass over element 36 as required. As less treated airfrom plenum 12 is required, damper 28 is rotated in a clockwisedirection to partially block off passage 27. As the discharge of primaryair is maintained substantially constant, the quantity of air inducedthereby is likewise constant. As less secondary air is drawn from theplenum, an increased quantity of ambient air is drawn through opening 33having grille 34 disposed therein. The secondary air passing throughopening 33 is bypassed about coil 14. When the damper is at a medianposition, for example, as repre-. sented by the solid line of FIG. 1,the air drawn through opening 33 is admixed with the air induced fromplenum 12 through passage 27 and is further admixed with the primary airbefore being delivered to the enclosure.

When desired temperature conditions in the room have been reached,damper 28 is rotated to a substantially horizontal position, asrepresented by dotted line 29". However, stop 32 prevents member 29 formclosely engaging the lower surface of supply duct 18 and casing 23 so asto maintain a minimal flow of air from plenum 12. This prevents plenum12 from becoming pressurized, thus eliminating the possibility of havinga backflow of air from the plenum through the heat exchange coil.

The air distribution system thus described is relatively inexpensive toinstall and is extremely easy to maintain operable. The systemparticularly utilizes the space obtained by the installation of a falseceiling comprising, for example, acoustical tile. In particular, thenovel system does not reduce the rentable floor space as do many systemsheretofore installed, yet does permit the occupants of individual roomsto obtain temperature control.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it should not be limited thereto, but may be otherwiseembodied in the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An air distribution system to provide treated air to an enclosurecomprising:

A. means defining a plenum, at least a portion thereof including theceiling of the enclosure, said plenum having treated secondary airtherein;

B. heat exchange means disposed in the ceiling of the enclosure anddefining an entrance to said plenum, said heat exchange means having aheat exchange medium flowing therethrough;

C. means operable to discharge high velocity primary air into theenclosure, the discharge of such high velocity primary air inducingtreated air from said plenum to mix therewith, the discharge of air fromsaid plenum causing secondary air to flow therein through said coil, theair being treated by passing in heat transfer relation with the heatexchange medium flowing through the coil; and

D. damper means operable to regulate the quantity of air discharged fromthe plenum, said damper means including stop means so a minimal flow ofair is discharged from said plenum irrespective of the operation of saiddamper means.

1. An air distribution system to provide treated air to an enclosurecomprising: A. means defining a plenum, at least a portion thereofincluding the ceiling of the enclosure, said plenum having treatedsecondary air therein; B. heat exchange means disposed in the ceiling ofthe enclosure and defining an entrance to said plenum, said heatexchange means having a heat exchange medium flowing therethrough; C.means operable to discharge high velocity primary air into theenclosure, the discharge of such high velocity primary air inducingtreated air from said plenum to mix therewith, the discharge of air fromsaid plenum causing secondary air to flow therein through said coil, theair being treated by passing in heat transfer relation with the heatexchange medium flowing through the coil; and D. damper means operableto regulate the quantity of air discharged from the plenum, said dampermeans including stop means so a minimal flow of air is discharged fromsaid plenum irrespective of the operation of said damper means.